


Amour

by tiptoestip



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-13 10:11:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14746857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiptoestip/pseuds/tiptoestip
Summary: So, apparently the French word for "polyamory" is "polyamour" and I think that's beautiful.Modern AU where Lily works at a children's hospital, and James works at a café and at the local supermarket, which is where they meet for the first time. As their relationship progresses, Lily is invited to spend Christmas at the Potter's. Sirius invites his brother Regulus, who is the reason Lily and James' relationship takes a drastic turn.





	1. The beginning

**Author's Note:**

> If you don't like polyamory, don't read this fic. If you don't mind it, and you read this fic, thank you :) 
> 
> \- Sminnie

When James Potter bumped into Lily Evans at his local supermarket, he couldn't believe his own two eyes. He had never seen such a beautiful person, and as he stuttered a hello, she smiled warmly.

  
"I'm Lily," She said, putting her hand out toward him.

  
All James could focus on was her auburn hair, and how she pushed it behind her ear. "Oh, yeah, first time seeing a ginger?"

  
James quickly shook his head and looked at his feet, then back up at her, a small grin and blush creeping onto his face. "No, no, sorry, I was just admiring your hair," He coughed awkwardly and ran a hand through his hair, before extending it and feeling her hand slide into his. It fit perfectly, like two puzzle pieces touching for the first time and finding out that they are a perfect match. Her hand lingered too long, and she blushed and looked down at the groceries James had dropped when bumping into her.

  
"Oh, let me," She said, and kneeled down. She started picking the vegetables up, holding them in her arms. She looked up at James, who was fumbling with the hem of his shirt. "So, what do you do for a living, since you need this many vegetables?"

  
James couldn't help but smile, and his hand went directly to his hair again. A nervous tick, as his brother Sirius would say. "Well, you're standing in my workspace," Lily looked suprised up at him, "I just got off. And I also work down at the Witch's Brew," James pointed his thumb in the general direction of the café. Lily nodded, "So, why all the vegetables?"

  
James winked at her, "Research,"

  
Lily laughed, and didn't know why, but she also didn't care. She stood up tall and put the vegetables in her basket. "Well, I need some cereal,"

  
"Right this way," James led her to the cereal aisle. He gestured toward the different cereals, "We have flakes, hoops and, excuse me, balls!" At that last one, they earned a stern look from a nearby elderly lady. "I said 'excuse me', Mrs. Hartridge," The lady turned away from them and walked on down the aisle, shaking her head disapprovingly.

  
James turned to look at Lily, a broad smile on his face. She returned the smile and added a blush. "You're very creative,"

  
"Some might call that same creativity stupidity, but I try to ignore the haters," He leaned against the shelves.

  
Lily shook her head, looking downward, and then turned her attention toward the cereal. "Give me some balls!"

  
"Oh my God, you did not just say that," James said in a hushed voice. "What kind of ball? We've got expensive chocolate and, oh guess what, cheap chocolate."

  
"I'll have to go with the expensive. Remus'll know the difference,"

  
James raised a brow and tried not to sound disappointed, as he reached for the cereal, and handing it to Lily. "Is that a boyfriend?"

  
Lily laughed loudly, "Oh God no, he's my best friend, we work together at the children's hospital," She put the cereal in her basket. "What about you, do you have a girlfriend?"

  
James shook his head, and they continued down the aisle, entering the bread aisle. "Is there anything else you need for this Remus person?"

  
Lily looked into her basket, then shook her head, concluding that she had it all. They went to the cashier, James' vegetables up first followed by Lily's essentials for the weekend. James paid, a smile tugging at his mouth. When Lily had paid they stood face to face at the exit.

  
"My shift's at 10 till 15, down at the brew, tomorrow," James reached up and scratched the back of his head. "I mean, if you were wondering,"

  
"Well, I can always drink some tea," She said and struggled carrying the bags, and James noticed the subtleness of a bruise on her wrist. He reached over and took the bag from her bruised hand. "I can follow you to your car-"

  
"I don't have one," She said.

  
"To your bike then?"

  
"Nope,"

  
James sighed and looked to the sky, "When I actually try to help a pretty girl for once..." He muttered.

  
Lily giggled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You may walk me to my flat, but no funny business!"

  
James' face lit up and they started walking down the street.

  
The walk was quite awkward, as is expected, and Lily tried not to look at the handsome stranger next to her. It was as if her eyes kept darting back to him. His jet-black hair, accompanied by those big brown eyes and his dark complexion, made him seem mysterious, but those glasses made him the exact opposite: he was goofy.

  
As they neared her building, she felt the need to come up with something to say, even though the silence was very comfortable. "You never told me your name,"

  
"Oh, sorry, I'm James," He said and smiled down at her.

  
"Hi James," She started taking her keys out of her bag. "Right here," They rounded the corner and stood in front of her front door. She put the bag down and took the key out, putting it in the keyhole.

  
"Well, you'll have to come down to the brew one day," James said, casually leaning against the wall.

  
"Only if you'll be there," She tried not to look at him, but when she did he looked surprised and happy. "I will personally bring you your cherry tea with a hint of vanilla,"

  
She laughed, "How do you know I'll want to order that?"

  
"Well, excuse me, I have known you for about half an hour, and tea is my thing, also this tea is amazing. It's my mom's secret blend," He went after her through the front door. Her flat was very cozy and tidy.

  
"Bags on the counter," She pointed toward the kitchen counter, and James placed the bag on top. "Well, I better get going. My brother is expecting me,"

  
"Oh really? I was hoping you'd tell me some more about your tea fetisch?" She grinned widely, and in a goofy way, which made James believe she could make anything funny.

  
"We'll have to do that tomorrow then," James said.

  
"Right, two seconds," She went around the counter to the fridge and took a sticky note and a pen. She returned and handed it to James. "You should write your number here so I know who to call if I won't be able to show up due to work or something,"

  
James nodded, "Sounds reasonable," He scribbled out his number and a smiley, then pulled the sticky note off the notepad. He reached his hand out and stuck it to her forehead, a teasing smile playing his lips. She took the pen from his hand and scribbled her number onto a note as well, and stuck it to his chest. She lingered a second too long. "Be on your way, sir, and I will see you tomorrow,"

  
James shook his head, looking down at the note stuck to his chest. "This will be great, Lily," And he walked out of the flat. Lily took the note off of her forehead and studied it; the slight cursive of his t's made her think of his messy curls, and the little smiley-face made her think of his smug grin.

  
James took the note from his chest and inspected it; her name was written in perfect cursive, and the heart above her 'i' made his heart flutter. He went home with a bounce in each step.


	2. The first date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there are any spelling errors I sincerely apologize, as I haven't checked it for mistakes due to being so invested in writing the next chapter sooooo oopsies. I'll probably edit the whole thing one day, but for now you can have the rough draft, which I think is what I love the most about fanfiction: it's okay to just put the idea out as is. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this story as much as I do :) 
> 
> \- Sminnie 
> 
> Also, I love Sirius calling James 'Jamie'. I think it's endearing and cute ^^

Lily took a long hard look at herself in the mirror. She fumbled with her hair, putting it up then letting it down, took a strand from each side of her face and put up with some pins, and decided that that is the best she could do. She then moved her hands down her body, feeling the soft fabric under her fingers. She was wearing one of her favourite dresses, even though Remus had told her not to. 

" _Lily, this is stupid, you just met the guy-"_

_"I think we'll be something, so why shouldn't I show him the best of me?"_

_"Whatever, you do what you want, and when it all goes to shit I'll be the one dragging you back to life,"_

Lily rolled her eyes at the memory of their conversation the night before. Remus had a flair for dramatics, and Lily had always teased him with it, but at the moment she couldn't help but think: _"What if he's right?"_

She shook the thought out of her head and went out of the bathroom to her bedroom. She stepped into the flats that she had chosen to go with the dress, and as she did she felt a thrill in her lower stomach. She wondered if the early Autumn air would be too chilly, and if she should bring a jacket, but she decided against it. She grabbed her keys and bag, and went right out of the front door, a bounce in her step. 

 

James picked at the sticker on the countertop. The phrase on there, ' _it's always time for tea' ,_ had faded so much since he'd put it there when he had first started working at the brew. His manager had told him to add something to the small café, as all the employees had done; Layla had put a cactus on top of her favourite table, Peter had hung a picture of his dog above the bar, and the manager himself had written his name on the coffee maker, because that was his favourite beverage. James looked over at the machine, about two feet from him, and he smiled as the glittery 'Fabian' shone out at him. Fabian had written his name with a pink glittery glue across the machine, and the employees never passed on a chance to bully him with it. 

"Oi mate, don't worry," Peter patted his back as he poured some coffee in a mug next to James. James straightened up and smiled carelessly at Peter. "What are you on about? I'm not worried," 

"Oh really? Then get that hand out of your hair," Peter pointed out, handing the mug to the costumer on the other side of the counter. James noticed that yes, his hand was in fact ruffling his hair, an act of nervousness from his side. James stuck his hand in his pocket. "Shut up, Pete," 

At that exact moment, the door to the Witch's Brew opened and Lily stepped in. James felt his heart jumping, a result of Lily being the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She was wearing this knee long light blue dress, with white flowers, and her hair was pinned up making her facial features more prominent. Her bright green eyes showed no sign of distress, and when she saw him across the room, her face broke into a smile. 

"Why do you always get the prettiest?" Peter grumbled next to him. 

"Shh," James hushed, and watched as Lily slowly neared the bar. Well, not slowly, but in his head she moved in slowmotion, and every strand of her hair moved behind her, resembling the snakes of Medusa. The dress she was wearing ever so slightly stuck to her curves, and James felt the nerves creep out again. She stood in front of him now, the afternoon sun shining behind her, making it look like she wore a halo. 

"Hi," She said, a blush spreading on her cheeks. 

"Hey," James replied, and smiled warmly at her. It felt like something was missing, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He shrugged the thought off. He started preparing a cup of cherry tea with a hint of vanilla, as he had done so many times before. "I'll just make your tea and my coffee, cause the lord knows I need coffee," He chuckled. 

"Tough shift?" 

James had to look up to see if it had actually been Lily who'd asked. He'd never heard her serious, caring voice before, and he liked it. "Yeah, some kid didn't like... well, whatever, but I had to get Pete to take their order as they wouldn't let me prepare their tea, happens all the time," He shrugged it off, and poured the nearly scolding water over the tea blend, in the mug he had specifically chosen for Lily (the one with the floral design and the words ' _cup of happy_ ' written across it). 

"What was their problem?" Lily's eyes were narrowed in thought. 

"Well, I guess they didn't like my skin," 

"So they were racists?" Lily asked. 

James put a coffee mug on the countertop. He poured some coffee in it and then some milk. "I guess so," He said, and took the tea filter out of the mug. He cleaned the filter and put it back where it belonged, then returned to Lily with a soft smile on his face. "As I said, it happens all the time," 

"Well, it shouldn't," She put a hand on his upper arm, a soft expression on her face. "Come on, let's find somewhere to sit," 

James picked up the mugs and they headed to the front of the café. He placed the mugs on the tabletop and pulled out a chair for Lily to sit down. Her smile was broad, and she sat down, "Thank you kind sir," 

James sat across from her and took a sip of his coffee. Lily placed her hands around the mug and studied the flowers on it. "Is this handpainted?" 

James' eyebrows flew to the ceiling in surprise, "Uh, yeah, my mom made it," 

"I like it," She took a sip of the tea and closed her eyes. 

"What are you doing?" James asked, grinning at her. She put the mug back down and opened her eyes, "I'm tasting it, and you were so right, I love this!" She took another sip and rested in the chair. 

James laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "So what else do you love?" 

Lily thought for a moment and then smiled mischievously. "I love waffles, May, and fairytales," 

He chuckled, "That was very specific,"

"I know what I love," She replied. "What do you love?"

"My family," He needed no time to think, as it was what he loved the most. 

They sat and talked like that for about an hour before Lily started eyeing the clock on the wall next to them. "Do you have somewhere to be?" James asked her, noticing the way she kept looking at the clock ticking toward 5pm. 

"I have a shift at the hospital in about an hour," She replied, and James could tell that there was truth in it. She looked almost sad to tell him that, and he felt sad that she would have to get going soon. He picked up their cups and carried them to the counter, grabbing his jacket in the process. He returned to her, "Let me walk you home, then," 

She smiled and stood up, then they walked out of the café together. They walked closer than they had the day before, and James could feel her hand brush against his. He wanted to take it in his so badly, but he couldn't tell how she'd react. As if Lily had thought of the same thing, she took his hand and squeezed it once. James looked over at her and beamed at her. She blushed ever so sligtly, her cheeks as bright as her hair. 

When they got to her flat, James finally got the courage to say something, "I had a great time," His voice was as sound as the birds chirping in the tree near them, but somehow Lily still heard, and turned to him. She stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek, "Me too, thank you," 

His cheek burned, but all he could think about was her face so close to his. "May I see you again?" 

"Of course," She cupped his face, and he leaned into it, closing his eyes. "How about we go somewhere I love?"

"Sure," He pulled away from her, although he was still holding her hand. "When and where?" 

"Hm," She thought for a moment and then said, "How about you pick me up here and I'll lead the way? Saturday night?" 

James nodded, feeling the excitement rushing to his already pounding heart. "It's a date," 

She looked up at him, a surprised look on her face. 

"I mean, if you want it to be a date, it doesn't have to be-"

"It's a date," She said and took the keys from her bag and put them in the keyhole. "I'll see you on Saturday, then, and wear something nice," 

"I will," 

She was turning away from him, but changed her mind and pulled him into a soft and careful embrace. He smelled like coffee, vanilla and petrichor. She decided that she liked it. 

He hugged her back, taking in the scent of flowers, disinfectant and freshly baked goods. He smiled into her soft hair, and relaxed in her arms. As they pulled apart he missed her embrace already. She smiled excitedly up at him and went through the door to her flat, closing it slowly and softly behind her. James just stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door, before he turned, ruffled his hair, and went home. 

Lily turned away from the door and looked at Remus sitting at the dining table. She sighed and threw her bag on the table before entering her bedroom. She took off the dress and got into her uniform, then put her hair into a high ponytail, before returning to the kitchen where she took a banana from the fruit bowl and started eating it. 

"So, how did it go?" Remus finally asked. 

She smiled and sat down at the table across from him, "He is the kindest, most caring person I have ever met, Rem," She took another bite off the banana. "I mean, the first thing he thought of when asked what he loves was his family! His family! His favourite film is 'brave' because he loves the way Merida acts! He's a feminist, Remus-"

Remus put a hand up to stop her from saying anything else. He closed his eyes and sighed loudly, "Why do you always get the perfect ones?" A big smile spread across his face. 

Lily shrugged and put the rest of the banana in her mouth and chewed hurriedly. "I have to be at the hospital in 10, so I'll see you in the morning, also we have another date on Saturday," She picked up her bag and keys and left. 

 

James opened the door to find Sirius perched on the armrest of the chair closest to the front door. "So, how'd it go?" He looked like an excited puppy, welcoming his master home.

"Amazing, she is amazing, it was amazing and we're going to dinner on Saturday," 

"Oh my God, really? Well, what did you do?" 

"We had tea, well, I had coffee and she had that tea mom makes, you know the one-"

"Cherry and vanilla?" 

James nodded, "That's the one," 

"And she's the one?" Sirius smiled excitedly. 

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," James chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. 

"Oh my God, she totally is!" Sirius got to his feet and approached his best friend. He pulled him into a tight embrace, "I'm so proud of you, Jamie," 

"Jeez, get off me," James pushed him away, with a smile on his face and went to the kitchen where he put a kettle on. Sirius jumped onto the counter. "So what about you and that Jeff guy?" 

"Jeffrey? Yeah, no," Sirius shook his head. "I am done with dating douchebags like him," Sirius started fiddling with the hem of his t-shirt; a black, holed one with some band logo on it. A DIY project Sirius had been very invested in some summers back. James looked up at his friend, "I'm sorry, mate,"

"Narh, it's fine," Sirius jumped down from the counter and went to the fridge. He opened it and looked around, then closed it, and James knew that he wasn't fine, it wasn't fine, and he wasn't okay with it but he knew Sirius wouldn't let him talk about it anymore, because Sirius doesn't like emotions. Probably something that his parents forced on him. 

"Hey, how's your brother?" James turned to the shorter one. 

"Regulus?" Sirius shrugged, "He's fine, I guess," He took a glass from the cupboard and poured some orange juice in it. "Why do you ask?" 

James shrugged and turned back to his tea making. "I was just thinking about your parents, so I wondered how he's holding up?" James put a teabag in the mug his mother had made for him and given him when he was 10. He looked at the swirling of the 's' in his name. He hadn't met Sirius yet at the time, and he remembered the same feeling of missing something as he had done with Lily at the café. Once he met Sirius, and his parents found out about the abuse and adopted him, James had felt a weight lift off his shoulders, as if this was what was always meant to be. But now that he felt it once again, he couldn't help but feel concerned. Something was going to change drastically very soon. 

Sirius had apparently been going on about something while James had shifted into this state of thought. He was knocked out of it as Sirius waved a hand in front of his face. "Jamie?" 

James looked at him, "Yeah?" 

"Your water's hot," Sirius turned around and continued preparing his tunasandwich. James poured the water over the teabag, and placed a chopping board and a knife on the countertop. He then took some celery, cabbage, sweet peas, grapes, and some chicken from the fridge, and started chopping it all, making a salad for dinner. 

"I don't know, if he wants help from me, he'll ask for it," 

James turned to Sirius, eye widened and mouth agape, "Oh yeah, like you asked for it?"

"That's different," Sirius frowned into his sandwich. 

"How so? How is that any different?" James placed his mug on the table and then took a bowl in which he put some salad, and then a fork form the drawer. He sat down at the dining table across from Sirius and looked at him. The boy practically melted in his seat, shoulders slumped forward and eyes glued to the plate in front of him. James smiled softly at him, "I'm just saying that if my parents hadn't forced you to live with us for a summer, you wouldn't be here right now," He picked up the fork, "I'm sure that if you brought it up, the idea of him being happier somewhere else, he'd ask for your help in some way," He started eating his salad and Sirius started picking at the lettuce in his sandwich. 

"I'm not so sure," He trailed off.

James looked up at him again, this time his facial expression soft, and said "Be patient, like mom and dad were with you," To which Sirius just nodded and continued eating. 

 

 


	3. The second date

"So, when are you seeing her again?" Peter asked, as he kicked the ball to James. They were playing football to clear their minds, something they'd been doing every day after work since they met four years ago. James kicked the ball back to him, with a sigh, "Tomorrow, we're going out for dinner,"

"So is this an official date?" Peter wiggled his eyebrows in that annoying way that James hated.

"Yes," James couldn't help but smile, although he hated the way his friend looked at him as if he knew everything about anything. "I'm going to pick her up and then she'll lead the way to the restaurant,"

"Uuuh is it fancy?"

"Yeah, she did say to wear something nice," James stood in thought for a second, not noticing the ball rolling past him.

"Mate, she's really got you under her spell," Peter laughed and pointed in the direction of the stray ball. James chuckled and rubbed the back of his head, then hurried to get the ball. He kicked it back to Peter. "Are you bringing out the slim-fit suit we got you last year?" Peter kicked the ball back to him.

"Narh, I don't know, I'll make Sirius help me,"

"Yeah, make the gay do the stereotype gay thing," Peter sat down on the bench next to him. James picked up the ball and strolled to him, and sat down next to him. "Are you okay?" He asked him.

Peter shrugged, "I just feel like you don't trust me, concerning clothes of course, but you trust him even though he hasn't willingly worn a suit ever, like _ever_. And that's unfair," He picked at a scar on his exposed knee, under the hem of his shorts.

"Awh Pete, listen, maybe you can both help me?" At those words, Pete's face lightened up immediately. "Yeah, that would be cool, I guess," He shrugged it off, but James could tell that it meant a lot to him. They got back to kicking the ball back and forth, in a comfortable silence.

 

When they returned to James and Sirius', they found Sirius on the couch, a controller in his hands. "Oh hey guys," He didn't even look up, he just continued playing. 

James thought of a way to shake him out of his concentration, "Hey Siri," 

"What can I help you with?" The robotic voice of Siri blasted out from Sirius' iPhone. "God damn it James that is not funny!" 

Peter burst into laughter and James followed closely, "Come on, mate, it never gets old," James put the ball in the basket next to the door and returned to Peter and Sirius on the couch. Sirius paused the game and took the phone out, then said, "Siri, don't respond to the sentence 'hey Siri'," 

"Understood. Goodbye," Siri said and switched off. Sirius slumped back into the couch. "She seriously stresses me out," He scratched the back of his head. "Anyway, what would you like for dinner? I was thinking about making this mango soup," 

James nodded and looked over at Peter, "Will you be joining us?" 

"If you'd still like my help picking out an outfit for tomorrow night?" Peter looked excitedly at James. 

"Yeah, I would," At that moment, he got a text from Lily saying that he should pick her up around 6pm. He sent a smiley-face back. 

 

Lily was starting to get worried about their second date. She didn't know what to wear, how it would go, or if he even liked her as much as she liked him. Sure, she could tell that he liked her, but she wasn't quite sure if it was in the same way as she liked him. She started drumming the pencil in her hand onto the countertop in front of her. It wasn't like she wanted to marry him or anything, but she felt this connection with him instantly, that she hadn't felt with anyone, ever. She just didn't want to see herself get hurt, and she figured she should try talking to him about her feelings soon. Feelings.. She also wasn't sure how he'd feel about the place they were getting dinner at. It wasn't what he would be expecting, that's for sure. Remus had liked the idea, so maybe it wasn't so bad. _Remus, right._

"Lily, hello?" 

She had totally spaced out, in the middle of her shift. She had just sat down to write some notes to a patient's journal, and apparently she'd gotten caught up in her own thoughts. "Yeah?" She asked, turning the attention to Remus, who was standing above her, hands on his hips and a smirk on his face. "What are you doing?" 

Lily gestured to the salad in front of her and the file next to it. "What does it look like I'm doing?" She stuck her fork into a piece of chicken and put it in her mouth, then chewed slowly. She wasn't really hungry anymore, already having eaten most of the salad before she spaced out. 

"You're thinking about James," He dragged the 's' out, and then sighed like those princesses in fairytales, who are so in love with the prince that they'd rather run out of air than not be with him. Lily thought those fairytales were ridiculous. She returned to scribbling notes onto the page. Remus sat down next to her and shook her arm. "You areeeeee, Lily loves James," He stuck his tongue out at her. 

She shook his hands off her, "Remus, we're at a hospital, stop acting like the children we're supposed to be taking care of," 

Remus leaned against the chair and crossed his arms across his chest. "Yeah, when is your shift over?"

"Why are you asking?" she asked, skimming the page before closing the folder and looked at him. 

"I was just thinking that you might want my help picking out an outfit for tomorrow night?" Remus' eyes shone with excitement. Lily shrugged, "I think I've got it covered," 

"The little black dress? Why are you so predictable?" Remus rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling with a sigh. 

"What! That is my best dress," 

"Yeah, well, I think you should revisit the dusty pink one," 

Lily shook her head, "Remus, we talked about this, it shows too much," 

"I think that's a bad way to look at it, Lils, in the year of twenty-eighteen," He raised an eyebrow at her. 

"No. I'll wear the black one, as I'm sure he'll like that better," She got to her feet, "Now will you excuse me, I have to get back to work," 

As she walked away, she heard Remus mock her, " _Now will you excuse me, I have to get back to work_ ," And then he laughed at his own cleverness. 

"We seriously have to get you laid," She sighed as she exited the room. 

 

Today was the day, and James had never been as nervous about a date as he was about Lily and his second date. As he entered the kitchen, he found Sirius leaned back in a chair on the balcony, a cup of coffee in his right hand and a smile on his lips. He had a blanket over his legs and half of his upperbody, and a quiet voice was singing from the radio next to him. "Morning, Jamie," He said and opened his eyes. He looked at James with a soft smirk on his lips, and then he pointed toward the thermos. "Feel free to pump some caffeine through your veins," 

James scrunched up his face, "Why are you always so dramatic?" He took a mug from the cupboard and poured the coffee from the thermos, then returned to the balcony and sat down in the chair next to Sirius. 

"Are you nervous?" Sirius asked, sincerity clear in his voice. 

James shrugged, "I guess," 

"That why you grumpy already?" 

James looked at him, eyes hard. "Shut it," 

"I'm just saying, maybe you should brighten up before going out tonight, or she might feel like you don't enjoy her company," 

"I like her company," 

As if James was a child who had just been given a teddy bear, his entire face brightened and he smiled into his coffee and took a sip. "Well, your mom is wrong about one thing about you," 

"And what's that?" James asked and put his feet in Sirius' lap. 

"You are such a liar," 

"What does that have to do with anything?" James stared at him, and if looks could kill...

"You don't just like her company, you love it, mate," Sirius pushed his feet out of his lap and stood up, "And I think it's safe to say that you shouldn't mess with her, she sounds rather fierce, so no side-chicks, kay?" He went through the doors and into the kitchen. 

"I don't need any side-chicks," James said, truth running like waterfalls from his words. 

 

Lily woke with a grunt and glanced at the clock on the wall across from her. She rolled onto her back with a sigh of relief. She still had 3 hours till she had to be ready. She yawned and realized that 8 hours sleep after a 12 hour shift is not enough sleep. She rubbed her eyes and turned on her side again. Three hours till she had to see him again. Her stomach fluttered and a smile played at her lips. She swung her legs to the side, over the bed, and sat up. Her throat was very dry, so she took a sip of the water on her bedside table, before she got to her feet and went to the kitchen. She got some iced coffee cubes from the freezer, put them in a glass, and poured the milk over it. Then she took the glass and sat by the diningtable. She looked at the fridge where her weekly meal plan hung, and she knew it wasn't waffle day until Sunday, which disappointed her, but on the other hand; if the date went horribly, she could have waffles for breakfast in the morning and hopefully feel better. She looked at today's breakfast: ryebread with butter and banana slices. She took a sip of the iced coffee, and instantly felt refreshed, before she got to her feet again and started making breakfast. 

Once she had eaten, she decided it was time to start getting ready, as she needed to shower, shave, make her hair look somewhat pretty, and get dressed. She didn't want to have to tell James to wait for her, as that would be embarassing. 

When the clock was nearing 5:30pm, she got out of the shower and went to her bedroom where she looked at the dress she'd hung on the knob of the closetdoor. She brought it up to her body and looked at herself in the mirror, still considering if this should be it. She looked at the pink dress as well, and decided against it, knowing it would be too revealing. She got into the black dress and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was still wet, since it had only been a few minutes since she got out of the shower, and so it left dark spots where it touched the black material. She wrapped it in a towel and decided to do her make-up. 

She picked up the lashcurler and curled her lashes. She didn't wear make-up that often, but she quite liked it. She thought James would like it too. And then she started to daydream about his black hair and prominent features. He was so handsome, and the way he pushed his glasses further up his nose was just the cutest to Lily, along with his nervous ruffling of his hair. She really liked him. 

When she'd finished doing her make-up, she got started on her hair. And then the doorbell rang, and she hissed at herself for being so slow and spacing out so much. 

 

James ran a hand through his hair, and stared at the door in front of him. He sighed, feeling a tightness in his stomach, and then the door opened. Lily stood there, the evening sun blinding her, making her fiery hair burn even brighter, a clear contrast to the black, high neck dress that she was wearing. James thought she looked very beautiful, and classy. James smiled widely, "Hey, you're beautiful," 

Lily blushed, "Hi," She leaned against the doorframe. She took him in; he was wearing a dark grey suit and his hair was as unruly as ever, which she enjoyed. It was like this mess was what he was going for, which made it look like a styled mess. 

"So, do you come here often?" James asked teasingly and winked at her. She had spaced out again. 

Lily laughed and James felt his knees turn to jelly, "Oh, right, uh, come in," She got out of the way, and James stepped into her livingroom. He noticed the scent of cookies again, making the coziness of her flat even more prominent. There was at least 5 pillows on the couch and 3 blankets, the entire room including the kitchen had this warm toned theme, and James really liked it. 

"I just have to get a jacket and then we can go," She said and went to what James assumed was her bedroom. He noticed a meal plan on the fridge, along with some drawings that looked like children had made them. When Lily returned he pointed at them, "Who did those?" 

She looked over at the fridge, "Oh, just some of my patients," 

"They're very pretty," He said and scratched the back of his head. He watched as Lily got her bag and keys and went toward the door. He almost didn't want to leave her flat, as it calmed his nerves so much, but he followed behind her. She turned to lock the door, and once she'd done that, she slid her hand into his and smiled up at him. "Let's go,"

They went down the street, in a comfortable silence, James occasionally looking over at Lily to check if she was okay. They passed a garden where a family was having possibly the last dinner outside before the weather turned cold and windy. A little girl, around 3 years old, put her hands in the air, reaching up to her father standing above her. He picked her up and hummed a song to her, before putting her back in the chair. James looked over at Lily and smiled. 

"What?" She asked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. 

James cleared his throat and looked straight ahead. "Oh, nothing," 

When they rounded the corner, they stood in front of a dead end. Where the road ended a forest continued. Lily pulled him toward the forest. "It's just this way," 

"Have you brought me here to kill me?" James asked, and received a laugh from Lily. They entered the forest and a small trail of gravel was laid out on the forest ground. Lily just pulled him though it and suddenly they stood face to face with a tall, black building. Lily knocked on the door and it opened, revealing a waitress who smiled kindly at the two of them. "Oh, hey Lily- oops, I mean; do you have a reservation?" 

"Yes, Lily Evans," Lily said. James just looked at the waitress in confusement. 

"Is it his first time here?" She asked. 

Lily nodded, "Yeah, I told him I'd take him somewhere I love," 

"Well, I'll let the chef know that you're here and I'll make sure Martin stops by tomorrow with some freshly baked goods," She smiled at her and handed both of them a black mask, that had no holes for the eyes, and then they walked through the doors to be met with... complete darkness and the sound of people eating and talking.

James narrowed his eyes to try to make sense of the place, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she brought him here to kill him. He squeezed her hand to make sure she was still there, and he suddenly felt a kiss on his cheek. "I'm still here," she whispered in his ear, the darkness making her more confident. She pulled him along and a small lighgbulb across the room was the only visible light source. It was also where she led him. She let go of his hand and he resisted calling her name, and then he heard a wooden chair being dragged over concrete floor. "I'll be just across from you," she said. 

"Lily, what is this place?" 

"It's a restaurant where you eat blindfolded in the dark," She replied, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. James had heard about those kinds of restaurants, but he didn't know he lived right next to one. 

He put his hands out and felt for the chair, then sat down and pulled himself closer to the table. He stomped his foot against Lily's and quickly said, "Oh God, I'm sorry Lily-"

"James, it's fine, this is what the entire experience is about," She said and he could hear her put something on the table. "Here's your blindfold," He reached out and took the silk fabric from her hand. He put it on, and if the room wasn't pitchblack before, it certainly was now. It was as if he was floating, and he kind of liked it. 

He let his hand rest on the table and suddenly felt hers on top of it. He turned it around, so that their hands were palm to palm, and she started softly tracing circles on his wrist with her fingertips. 

He sighed, "This is great, how did you find this place?" He asked, almost feeling like he had to whisper to not disturb the darkness. 

"My dad used to take me here all the time," She replied and stopped moving. James felt someone stand next to him, and then he heard water being poured into something. "Your wine is right next to you," A voice said and James almost jumped out of his skin. "Thank you," Lily said and couldn't help but laugh. James' reaction was adorable to her, and she felt her stomach tighten. She reached forward with the hand not holding James' and took a hold of the wine glass, then took a sip. 

"Why do you love this place, then?" 

"Isn't it obvious?" She put the glass down. James picked his up and took a sip. The wine was extremely sweet, and he hoped they got some sort of fish to go with it. "This is a place that doesn't care how you look, how the place looks - although this place is even more mesmerizing when the lights are on - and it's just like stepping into a completely different world, which I love," 

James smiled, which she couldn't see, and it was probably for the best because he couldn't hide his feelings if it depended on his life. He took another sip of the wine. "When you put it like that, I can see why you keep coming back," 

Soon, another waiter arrived and said, "Sir, I will have to ask you to remove your arm from the table as I have your dishes," 

"Oh right," James said and let his arm rest down his side. A plate of something sweet smelling was placed in front of him. It almost smelled like... coconut and dough. 

"What are we having, Lily?" 

"Taste and find out," She sounded like she had a smug look on her face, that teasing tone in her voice making it more prominent. James picked up his fork and knife and put it to the food in front of him. It was soft, so it wasn't some sort of steak. James felt very intrigued, and as he cut a piece off and lifted it to his mouth, he stuck his tongue out and licked it. "It's icecream!" 

"And?" Lily asked, chewing slowly. 

James put the fork into his mouth and tasted it. The sweetness of the coconut icecream and the saltiness of the dough underneath made him question what exactly he was eating, put it was delicious. "Some sort of cake," 

"It's a salty caramel cake with coconut icecream," 

"How do you know?" 

"It's my favourite thing here,"

"Weren't we supposed to get dinner? And not just dessert?" 

"Are you disappointed?" 

"No, of course not, I just wasn't expecting..." He thought for a moment: What exactly wasn't he expecting? "Any of this, to be honest, but it's refreshing," 

He felt her foot rub against his ankle, and he smiled to himself. She must like him as much as he likes her. "So, what is something you would like to know about me?" James couldn't hide the obvious curiosity, as he would like to know what she's interested in knowing. 

"What is something you would love to try?" Her voice was teasing him, once again, and he couldn't help but smile. "I would love to kiss you," but of course he didn't say that out loud. Instead he said, "I don't know, bungee-jumping, I guess?" 

"So original," Lily declared and took another sip of wine. 

"What about you?" 

"Hmm?" 

"What would you love to try?" James raised his eyebrows at her, or at the darkness, but the tone of his voice got it across just fine. 

"I never actually thought about it," Lily said, but if they had been able to see right now, he would see her face go as red as her hair. She hoped they'd get to, though. 

The rest of the evening went on like that; the two of them asked questions back and forth until they were both fairly drunk, from the sweet wine they had been drinking all night. Suddenly, the lights switched on and a voice spoke from above their heads, through the speakers, "You may take off your blindfolds as the restaurant will be closing shortly," 

James pulled the blindfold off and smiled over at Lily. "This was amazing," 

She nodded and looked down at her hands in her lap. "I knew you'd like it so..."

James reached across the table and touched her forearm. "I loved it," 

The smile on her face couldn't be erased, she was sure of it, and as they left the restaurant, she felt more confident than ever that she and James could be something. She leaned against his tall figure as they walked back toward her flat, hands intertwined. She felt a sudden rush, and blamed the wine, and she stopped dead in her tracks and looked excitedly up at James. Even though the only light source was the street lamps above them, she could see him clearly. He stepped closer to her, examining her face to figure out if she was okay. She just smiled, and brought his hand to her face.

He gently touched her lower lip and cupped her face. She closed her eyes and felt his breath fan across her face. _This is it_ , she thought as she took in the scent of wine, petrichor and caramel, and she decided she loved it. "May I kiss you?" His voice was barely above a whisper, and as she nodded, she felt another rush of adrenaline wash over her. 

The first time James kissed Lily, he felt as if the entire world stopped spinning, but at the same time he felt every emotion of every creature, of every soul to ever exist on Earth. He thought of how he had felt like there was something missing, something crucial, but at that very moment the feeling disolved as he felt like one with every soul. As his lips touched hers he took in the gentle touch of her hand in his hair, and the softness of her lips. It was like kissing a cloud or a flower petal. 

As they pulled apart, he kept his eyes closed, having to take a moment from the reality that would hit him as soon as he opened them. Lily wrapped a curl in his hair around her finger and sighed, her sweet breath fanning across his face, making him yearn for more. He opened his eyes and looked into hers, as green as the first day he ever saw her. He smiled and looked down, slowly pulling away from her. He linked his little finger with hers and she rested her head against his shoulder as they stumbled back to her flat. 

Once they got there, Lily fumbled with the keys before actually getting them in the keyhole, and then she turned it. "Would you like to come in?" She turned to him, her back pressed against the door, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. He nodded, "If you'd like me to," 

She leaned up and pressed her lips to his, surprising him for a moment, but then he cupped her face and pushed her through the open door. She closed it behind her, and laughed loudly, resembling an excited puppy more than a mad lady. Although she did look kind of like a mad lady. James laughed with her and watched as she locked the door behind her. She returned to him, where he was standing in the middle of the livingroom, and she ruffled his hair and then looked into his eyes. Those deep brown eyes that she could get lost in. He reached out and touched her shoulder, making her shiver. She put a hand on his neck and pulled his face closer, pressing her lips gently on his, getting lost in him. He kissed her back, and when she deepened the kiss, he let out a soft moan before grabbing her by the waist and leaving a trail of kisses down her neck, to which her body responded with a shiver, her face going hot and a moan escaping her pink lips. She backed up against the door, as James started to unbutton his shirt, his heart pounding in his chest. She could tell that he was nervous from the way he fumbled with the buttons. she pushed the shirt off of him and received another kiss for it, before he pushed her against the door.

They were both sweating messes when he pulled away from her, "Are you sure we should do this, when we're so drunk we can barely undress ourselves?" His eyes were dark, serious, telling Lily that he meant what he said. She sighed, "You're right," 

He started picking up his shirt and blazer from the floor, but she stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder, "Although, would you stay the night? It's just that I-"

"Yes, I would," James said, before following behind her to her bedroom, which was as he had thought it would be: very Lily-like. It was warm tone themed and the walls were plastered with photographs of her and her friends and family. He could tell that they meant a lot to her. He turned to her and scratched the back of his head, before throwing the shirt and blazer on a chair close to him. She was beaming, eyes brighter than the stars outside the window. He resisted reaching out and touching her, as he knew it would lead to bad decisions when they're this drunk. 

She turned around, "Unzip me?" She asked, and James looked at the zipper in her dress. He reached out and unzipped the dress, which Lily got out of and let drop to the floor. He reached out and gently brushed his hand against her shoulder where a white scar shone out at him. He leaned down and pressed his lips to it. Lily turned around and studied his face. He looked at peace, in a way that she hadn't seen before. She reached out and brushed her fingers down his torso, stopping right at the hem of his trousers. His skin was electric, and she wondered if his hair stood up like a mad scientist. It didn't, which was very disappointing as drunk Lily had imagined it and wanted to have something to laugh at. She shook her head, turned to the bed, and buried herself in the mountain of pillows and blankets. James took off his trousers and soon joined her in the bed, and she smiled over at him. 

"Thank you for tonight," She said. 

"I should be thanking you," He insisted. 

She reached her hand toward him and he took it, intertwining their fingers, before kissing the back of her hand. "Thank you," He looked at her, and she pulled him down next to her and hugged him. They pulled apart a little bit and he kissed her as softly as possible, wanting their last kiss for the night to be as gentle as any. He laid on his back and she rested her head on his chest, and they fell asleep like that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, thank you for reading this far. I haven't edited this chapter either, as I'm sure the errors I've made are minor.   
> This is by far my favourite thing I've written in months, and I just love their entire first kiss and how gentle it is, also shout-out to James for being such a sweetheart and asking permission to kiss her. More guys should be like that.   
> Also how funny is the whole "hey Siri" thing? I know, I'm cheesy oops. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)
> 
> \- Sminnie


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